Virgins, Saints, and Angels
by wintersoldiers
Summary: He knew, of course he knew she was a virgin; she practically reeked of chastity. But in a good way. A very, very good way. Godric/OC
1. O, Death

**Hey y'all! So, I used to have this story in the works many, many years ago. And after sitting through the series marathon that was on tv, I have decided to revisit it!**

**Reviewers get metaphorical cookies. :)**

* * *

_Could you wait to call me another day?_  
_The children prayed, the preacher preached,_  
_Time and mercy is out of your reach.  
O, Death  
Won't you spare me over til another year?_

- O, Death

* * *

Godric smelled the blood long before they entered the basement.

He knew, of course he knew she was a virgin; she practically reeked of chastity. But in a good way. A very, _very_ good way. His mouth was all but watering for her.

_No._

He forced his hunger down and pushed those thoughts out of his mind. After a few millennia on earth, he has learnt to control his thirst. But he cannot deny the temptation that comes around every so often. He wanted to laugh at the irony of this temptation taking place in the basement of a church, full of humans devoted to eradicating vampires.

Soon enough, he heard them as they made their way into his prison. Just like last time, there were three of them; two girls and a boy, but the circumstances were remarkably different. They struggled down the stairs, their steps echoing around the room; they were careless now, paying no mind to the noise they were creating. Even through the powerful smell of the blood, he could sense no small amount of alcohol on them. Two of them were whispering with each other, and the third was eerily silent: no whispers, no footsteps. Barely even a heartbeat.

"Hello?" the young man said, only to be quieted by one of the girls.

"Shut up, Shawn!" she hissed. "They can't find us down here."

"Oh, God," the boy - Shawn - whimpered pathetically. "I have to put her down."

He stayed silent and hidden in his cage; if the church leaders caught them down here - and talking with a vampire, no less - who knows what trouble they could get into. There were more sounds of shuffling, but Godric made no move to reveal himself. Someone was placed on the floor, and the girl began to pace.

"Shit," Shawn said. "Katerina, I don't think she's breathing. Eden? C'mon, Eden, stay with me."

Eden. He could have laughed. What other name could be given to someone as pure and innocent, yet so utterly tempting all at once? He drew in a deep breath, the smell of her blood almost overwhelming him. Why did they have to come down here?

"Hello?" Katerina called quietly. "Is there anyone there?"

"Please, you have to help us," Shawn said.

He stayed silent, unwavering. It didn't take long for him to realise why they came down to him; with her faint heartbeat, shallow breathing, and her blood flowing out, it was clear the poor girl was hurt.

"She's lost so much blood. Katerina, we have to call an ambulance-"

"No!" the girl said harshly. "Do you have any idea what could happen to us?"

"Do you have any idea what could happen to Eden?"

Her heartbeat was so faint it was almost non-existent. Yes, he had a good idea what could happen to her. Is that what they wanted from him? From the vampire that may or may not be imprisoned down in the basement of a church? They took a great risk coming here.

"We know you're down here," Katerina called out. "You have to help us. Our friend...she's-she's hurt. Please, you have to do something. We won't say anything, I swear."

Godric closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall.

"Kat, let's go, there's no one down here. It was just a joke," Shawn said.

He heard the girl scramble to her feet, letting out a frustrated growl. "No, there is one of them down here, I know it. But he's just as bad as Reverend Newlin says. Nothing more than selfish, unholy, goddamned bloodsucking monsters!"

Yes, he was. Once. Still? He was willing to let a girl die while he sat by, consumed with thoughts of being the one to feed on her blood. Wasn't he here to prove to them that vampires weren't all selfish, unholy monsters?

"Shitshit_shit_," the boy muttered. "Eden? Eden! We have to go. _Now._"

"Fuck," Katerina spat. "Fuck you, fanger."

There were more sounds of shuffling, a few muttered words spoken between them. They were trying to leave now, struggling under the weight of Eden's lifeless body. He drew in a deep breath once more; leaving her to die would be just as bad as if he killed her himself.

"Wait."

Both of their heads whipped around as soon as he called to them. In a flash, he was at the bars of the cage, looking out at them. The two of them were visibly shaken, standing over the blonde girl's lifeless body. She was pale, and even with his senses as enhanced as they were, Godric struggled to hear her breathe.

"Oh, God, he's just a kid," Shawn whispered, but Godric paid him no mind.

He nodded towards the girl. _Eden_. "Bring her to me."

Katerina began to step forward, but the boy hesitated, fixing him with a hard stare. "Can we trust you?"

"Do we have a choice?" Katerina said.

_No,_ he wanted to say, _you shouldn't trust me._ "You came down here for a reason," Godric said instead. "You better decide quickly before your friend bleeds out completely."

Another look was shared, and Shawn picked Eden up and brought her forward. Godric knelt down as Shawn placed her at the floor of the cage, gently as he could. The unconscious girl's head lolled to the side, and he frowned.

"What happened to her?" Godric asked.

"She fell," Katerina answered quickly, straightening up and folding her arms across her chest. "Hit her head."

He noticed the look the boy gave her, but most of Godric's attention was firmly on Eden. He had seen her before, but never this close. This time, he saw the the light spatter of freckles on her nose, her normally rosy cheeks now deathly white. He noticed the way her pale hair fell in waves to her chest, but was matted and sticky with blood that escaped from the back of her head. Her white shirt was now stained and ruined with red, and Godric almost chuckled to himself.

Her blood. It consumed him. Like a moth to a flame, he felt the pull of the red poison; For that moment it was everything he wanted and everything he needed. The blood called him, begging him - _taunting_ him for a taste. He watched as it dripped down her neck and fell to the basement floor. What a waste.

He pulled himself back, struggling against the instinct to devour her. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep from simply ripping her throat out. Oh, her blood was so sweet. So pure. So virginal.

Godric brought his wrist up to his mouth and ripped into it. Reaching through the bars of the cage, he turned Eden's head and held the wound to her lips. His blood fell onto them, but she made no move to drink; she was far too weak on her own. Godric tilted her head back gently and pressed his wrist harder to her now open mouth, letting the blood flow down.

Katerina and Shawn watched in silence, in awe, in repulsion. After a few short moments, Eden stirred, and he resisted the urge to groan as he felt her start to drink, her tongue flicking against the bite. Her lips closed around the wound and Eden sucked.

Her eyes fluttered as she regained some semblance of strength. Godric saw the flecks of green in her otherwise bright blue eyes as they met his own.

"Enough," he whispered, pulling his hand away. Eden's eyes flickered shut, and she fell into unconsciousness once again. He wiped the blood from her lips and stood, retreating back further into the cage.

"Take her and go," he said to Katerina and Shawn, who were standing by, watching with wide eyes. "Never speak of this."

They gathered Eden up and moved quickly up the stairs into the church without so much as a 'thank you.' He didn't expect as much.

After all, he was a monster.

* * *

**Edit: So, I thought I had this on the actual chapter but it turns out it was just sitting in a google doc. In case of any confusion, there's a bit of time travel here and we'll be heading back a few days in the next chapter. Sorry, guys!**


	2. My Boy Builds Coffins

**Hey, hey. Some of you might have noticed I took down the original chapter one. I wasn't very happy with it, and decided to edit it and move some things around, just so the story is paced a bit better. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited, and followed! Metaphorical cookies are in the hypothetical post as we speak. Enjoy!**

**Edit: So, I thought I had this on the actual chapter but it turns out it was sitting in a google doc. In case of any confusion, there's a bit of time travel here and this takes place BEFORE chap one/the prologue. Sorry guys!**

* * *

_My boy builds coffins for better or worse,_  
_some say it's a blessing, some say it's a curse._  
_He fits them together in sunshine or rain,_  
_each one is unique, no two are the same._

- My Boy Builds Coffins | Florence + The Machine

* * *

The church was stifling, and Eden Bennett wished she was anywhere but there.

She had taken to using the hymn pamphlet as a makeshift fan, very much aware of the beads of sweat dripping down her brow, her neck, even her cleavage. Her quaint white dress was sticking to her thighs, and she was focusing on everything but Reverend Newlin's sermon.

He was up at the altar, waving his arms around as he preached about 'God's holy light, the best weapon we possess against the creatures of the night that threaten our very existence'. At that moment, however, Eden was more convinced the "holy light" was threatening her existence. And her sanity.

Fanning harder, Eden scanned the church, and locked eyes with her friend, Katerina Diaz. Kat's cheeks were flushed from the heat, and her thick brown hair was gathered on top of her head in a messy attempt at getting it off her neck. Eden nodded her head in the Reverend's direction and gave a dramatic roll of her eyes. Kat snorted, and received a jab to the ribs from her mother beside her.

The two of them met a few months ago, when Kat and her mother joined the Fellowship of the Sun church. Eden was handpicked to be part of the welcome wagon by Sarah Newlin, who was bursting with excitement at the thought of another young girl turning away from darkness and evil. Eden remembered the way she forced a smile as Sarah was announcing this to Kat, who looked utterly bored. The second Sarah left them, Eden let out a sigh of relief and Kat muttered, "Thank God. I thought she'd never leave."

Since then, Kat and Eden would stick together for most activities, when Kat was allowed to participate. She was hot-tempered, abrasive, and incredibly fond of cursing. The instructors had a hard time keeping her under control, and Sarah Newlin had to have a word with her on more than one occasion.

Eden knew she was supposed to be a good influence on Kat - that's the reason Sarah pushed for them to become friends. It was awkward, sometimes, when Kat simply refused to play along. Eden laughed and made jokes about the church and the Newlins, she even had a bit of a temper on her when provoked, but never in front of them; she didn't even want to imagine how her father would react if he found out.

With a glance down the pew, Eden saw her father staring at Steve Newlin intently, nodding fervently. Samuel Bennett was a staunch supporter of the Fellowship of the Sun, his hatred of vampires very well-known in the community. The Bennetts have been followers for only a few months, but they have demonstrated what Reverend Newlin calls 'a pure spirit', and the two families have bonded over their shared contempt of the undead.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, they were told to go with God, and were dismissed. Eden all but raced out of the pews and into the fresh air. Her parents would probably stay back to chat with other members about the day's sermons, so she wouldn't be missed for a while.

"Lord," Kat said as they met outside the church. "I thought that would never end."

Eden took off her cardigan and scrunched it up, sighing in relief as she was hit with a light breeze. "I was impressed with how many different names he could come up with for the sun."

"I think you mean 'The Lord's pure and all-powerful symbol of resistance'." Kat pulled her hair out of the bun and ran her fingers through it. "So, you coming to the lock-in next week?"

"Oh, you mean I actually have a choice?"

Kat snorted. "Right. I asked my mom if I could skip it next week and she almost had a heart attack. Apparently, my soul is destined to be trapped in Hell for all eternity if I go to a party instead of church on a Friday night."

It was better not to ask if she was exaggerating or not; Ms. Diaz was almost always serious when it came to matters of Kat's soul. "To be fair," Eden said with a grin, "your soul was destined for Hell long before that."

"Oh, ha ha," Kat deadpanned, but she was smiling nonetheless. "So, want some lunch?"

Eden shook her head. "I would, but I get to go lunch with the Newlins now."

"Well, aren't you lucky? I suppose I'll go find Shawn, then. God knows he won't have any other plans."

Shawn was another friend of theirs from the church; he and Eden were acquaintances, but became friends when Sarah partnered the three of them up for a Fellowship Scavenger Hunt.

"Pray for me," Eden said as she went back inside to find her parents.

"Yeah, like He'll listen to me," Kat called back.

Her mother was waiting for Eden just inside the church. People always said Eden was the spitting image of Mary Bennett; they had the same hair, the same eyes, the same petite build. They even took to calling Eden "a little lamb" as a little joke, one that Eden was not totally fond of.

"There you are, honey," Mary said when Eden approached, reaching out to brush her daughter's hair back. "Put your sweater back on before we go."

Despite the strong Texas heat, it was best not to argue. She threaded her arms through her cardigan, screwing her face up as she did. To say her father was conservative was the understatement of the century; covering up was just one small part of resisting the temptations of a sinful life.

Mary looked over her once more, nodding in approval. "Alright, let's go, Eden. The Newlins are waiting for us."

* * *

"...and I just looked him right in the eye and said, 'tell the truth, shame the devil'!"

Reverend Steve Newlin finished his story with a flourish, and laughter broke out amongst the guests at the dining table. Eden forced herself to laugh along with them, though, for the life of her, she couldn't even remember what he was talking about.

She was seated between her brother, Noah, and her mom. The Newlins sat at the heads of the table, and Eden was trapped. Lunch had gone longer than she anticipated, and she had resorted to making shapes out of the leftover vegetables on her plate.

Her father and Steve Newlin were very close, lunches and dinners between families were almost a weekly occurrence. Frankly, Eden couldn't stand them; Sarah with her unwavering and nauseating optimism, and Reverend Newlin with his manic preaching.

Eden shifted uncomfortably in her seat whenever the subject of vampires was brought up at these gatherings. It was easy enough to tune it out during the sermons, but during these intimate sessions, it was hard to focus on anything else. It's not that Eden wasn't religious, or that she loved vampires. She was and she didn't.

"It's been almost a year since…" Mary was saying as Eden tuned back into the conversation, and she almost wish she was still zoned out.

Sarah nodded sympathetically, reaching over to grasp Mary's hand. "Oh, I am so sorry. We both are. If anyone understands your pain, it's us."

"What happened to Grace was a tragedy," Steve said, "but she lives on in our hearts. It's for those like Grace that we do what we do. Lives cut tragically short because of those monsters."

"Maybe her life wasn't cut short," Eden said, unable to stop herself.

"Eden," her mother said in a warning tone.

"We never did find her body," she went on, aware that her hands were starting to shake. "For all we know, she's still out there, she coul-"

"That's enough, Eden!"

The silence that followed her father's outburst was so thick it was suffocating. Samuel narrowed his eyes at his daughter and looked murderous, and Eden felt her face flush, her heart hammering against her chest. She averted her gaze, staring hard at the half-eaten food in front of her.

"I thought we agreed that this conversation was over," Samuel said. "There would be no more talk like that about Grace, God rest her soul, especially in front of the Reverend."

"Now, now, it's quite alright," Steve interjected, and for once, Eden was thankful. She had just been about to open her mouth and say 'no, you agreed, dad,' and make the situation a thousand times worse. "It's perfectly normal to hold on to the hope that our loved ones live on. And they certainly do, in here." He held a hand over his heart.

"I've always said Eden's faith is inspiring," Sarah added, beaming.

"Indeed it is. Which reminds me," Steve stood, and gestured to Samuel. "We have a lot to discuss. Please excuse us, everybody."

The two of them left the dining room, without another word. Sarah, who looked like she wanted to join them rather than stay and play hostess, forced a smile.

"Why don't we-" Eden stood abruptly, cutting her off.

"I need some air. Excuse me."

She rushed out of the room and out of the house, bursting through the door and sucking in a breath of fresh air. Eden sighed, and dropped to the porch. She wrenched her cardigan off and threw it down with a huff.

Talking about her sister's disappearance always made Eden feel strange, especially with the way her family reacted when she tried to hold on to the hope that maybe, just maybe, Grace wasn't dead. Missing for nearly a year, the police concluded that vampires had taken Grace in the night, and that it was hopeless to keep searching.

The funeral was held a week later, but Eden refused to believe her sister was dead. Her parents thought it was simply denial, even the therapist they made her visit said she would get over it eventually. Eden wasn't allowed to even mention the possibility that Grace was alive, but her stubbornness gets the better of her sometimes.

The front door opened behind her, and she heard her brother call out. "Eden? You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just great," she mumbled.

Noah lowered himself down next to her and knocked his shoulder into hers. There was no mistaking Noah and Eden for siblings, despite the fact that Noah was almost a foot taller and four years older than her. He, like Eden, had his mother's eyes and hair, and was slim and fit. All three of them took after her, in fact. Mary's little flock.

"I miss her too, you know," Noah said.

"It's not about missing her." She ran her hands through her hair. "I just…" she looked over at Noah, the corners of her mouth turned down. "Do you really think she's dead?"

"I think it's better than the alternative," Noah said carefully.

Eden chewed on her lip; she had honestly never thought of it like that. What if Grace was alive? What if she was alive and she was still with the vampires? Eden didn't want to imagine what they could be doing to her.

Noah was about to say something else when Mary stepped out on the porch. "Noah, honey, your father and the reverend want to see you."

"Sure, mom." He squeezed Eden's knee and made his way inside. Mary looked down sadly at Eden and followed him in.

Eden let out a massive sigh, and rubbed at her temples. She knew she needed to try and forget about it, to move on.

If only it were that easy.


	3. Stay in the Shade

**Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed, favourited, and followed. Your patience will be rewarded, as this is the chapter you find out what happened to Eden in the prologue, AND ~you know who will be making an appearance next chapter. (Once it gets written, that is).**

******Edit: So, I thought I had this on the actual chapter but it turns out it was sitting in a google doc. In case of any confusion, there's a bit of time travel here and this takes place BEFORE chap one/the prologue. Sorry guys!**

* * *

_Look into the sun as the new days rise_  
_There's a rhythm in rush these days_  
_Where the lights don't move and the colours don't fade_  
_Leaves you empty with nothing but dreams_  
_In a world gone shallow_  
_In a world gone lean_

_(dawn is coming, open your eyes)_

- Stay in the Shade | Jose Gonzales

* * *

That night, when Eden was sitting out on the roof of her house, she heard strange noises coming from her brother's room.

She hadn't been sleeping well for months; her mom suggested she keep seeing the therapist, but her father thought church was therapy enough. According to him, sixteen was too old to be unable to deal with death, and it was nothing the Lord couldn't help with. So, when she couldn't sleep, when her mind wouldn't shut off, Eden crawled out of her window and sat on the roof. It was peaceful, she wasn't bothered by anything; she could watch the stars for hours and drift away.

But the rustling and shuffling coming from Noah's room at one in the morning was bothering her.

Eden crept back inside and down the hall, opened the door. His room was a mess, drawers were empty, and Noah was throwing clothes into a duffle bag that was on his bed.

"What are you doing? Are you leaving?"

He jumped, his head whipping around to where Eden stood in the doorway. "What? No, Eden, I'm not running away."

"Then why are you packing?"

Noah dropped the shirts into the bag on his bed and rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm joining the Light of Day Institute," he said after a few moments of deliberation. "There's some kind of leadership summit happening."

Eden pursed her lips. "So you are leaving."

"No, I- come here, sit down." They sat together on the bed, Eden toying with the corner of the sheets, Noah fiddling with a shirt in his hand. "Dad wants me to join. Says he and Steve Newlin think I have great potential."

"Potential for what, exactly?" Eden had heard stories about the Institute, the Newlins' special leadership summit, or training camp, or whatever it was. Steve encourages members of the church to try out and join the Institute, where an 'elite few' will become a Soldier of the Sun. What these soldiers were fighting for was still a mystery, but Eden knew, deep down, it wasn't too hard to figure out.

"Eden," Noah sighed. "Don't worry about it; it's nothing bad. I promise."

"Then why are you being so secretive about it? Packing your bag in the middle of the night like this? It's suspicious as shit and you know it."

Noah grinned like he always did when Eden cursed - he was proud when she loosened up a little. "Dad said - he didn't want you to know."

"Huh. Well, shows you how much faith my father has in me."

"It's not like that. I think he's just trying to protect you."

She puffed out her chest. "Protect me? I'm stronger than he thinks."

"Yeah." Noah grinned. "You're the strongest little lamb I know."

Eden scowled, punching her brother in the arm. "You be careful, alright?" She stood and hugged her brother tight.

He squeezed back and laughed. "No promises."

She went back into her room and crawled into bed. She didn't know if she was upset that her brother was leaving, or if she was mad at her father for not including her. Eden could be a leader; she was strong - at least, she liked to think she was strong. Maybe her father didn't trust her. After all, with the way she kept bringing Grace up, her father probably thought she was delusional.

Eden's head began to throb again, and she shut her eyes tight.

* * *

When Eden tells her friends from school she can't go out with them on a Friday night because of "a church thing," she's often met with looks equal parts pity and scepticism.

Tonight was no different.

After school was over the next Friday, her friends headed out to the movies while Eden left for home to pack for the lock-in. She always contemplated sneaking off with them, before realising it wouldn't be worth facing the torment from her parents if she did. The vampire issue was a pretty divisive one, Eden found. There were some people that believed vampires should have equal rights to humans, and others that...didn't, to put it lightly. Eden tried to avoid those conversations at school. She heard enough about those creatures during the week, so she often used school as a distraction.

She ran up the stairs as soon as she got home, changing into her pyjamas and throwing a weekend's worth of clothes into her duffle bag - with the exception of her Sunday dress, which she placed neatly on top. Eden and her parents were out of the house and on the long drive to the church. Everyone was displaying their pyjamas with pride as they arrived; Eden had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at some of the more...outlandish choices.

"Hey, y'all!" Sarah Newlin greeted from the church steps with her impossibly huge smile. "Oh, I love your shorts, Eden, cute little anchors...Oh, hi guys!"

Eden didn't even get a chance to respond as Sarah's attentions were diverted to other guests. She just followed behind her parents, dumping her things in a pew. Samuel suggested Eden go find the other kids before the events of the evening started, and she didn't need to be told twice. Anything was better than listening to the adults. Eden wandered out of the church into the field outside where a few of her church friends were, sitting around and relaxing before the fun and games of the lock-in started.

It wasn't long before Kat found her, looping her arm through Eden's and dragging her away from the group.

"That's okay," Eden said, sarcastically, "I wasn't in the middle of a conversation or anything."

"This will be much better than any conversation you were having, trust me," Kat said, and the smirk on her face unnerved Eden.

"What are you doing?" Eden asked as she was pulled along.

Kat hushed her, and reaching out and taking hold of someone else's arm. It did nothing to settle her nerves as they raced back inside the hall, Kat scanning the mass of people until she found her target.

"Ah, what the hell?" Shawn Harris yelped, and found himself on the receiving end of a few glares. He apologised quickly and directed his own narrowed eyes at Kat, who had started dragging him along as well. The three of them weaved in and out, carefully trying to avoid stepping on toes. Kat finally threw them into an empty room and locked the door behind her.

"This is when you murder us, isn't it?" Shawn panted. "At least let me say goodbye to my parents."

Kat rolled her eyes. "Stop being a drama queen."

"That's pretty rich coming from you," said Eden.

"Oh, whatever. I wasn't going to tell you this shit outside where anyone could overhear."

Eden frowned. "Tell us what?"

She leaned in close, smirking. "There's a vampire here."

Shawn raised his eyebrows and Eden laughed, "You're kidding, right?"

"No!" She was appalled Eden would even think that. "I have it on good authority that there is a vampire locked in the basement."

"Whose good authority?" Shawn asked.

"Luke's."

Eden and Shawn sniggered. "Come on," Eden said. "He's had a crush on you for months - everybody knows that. He's probably just saying that to make you think he's tough."

"Did he say he singlehandedly caught the fanger himself?" Shawn said. "Has he got the scars to prove it?"

"Shut the fuck up," Kat growled. "The only reason I told you is because we're going to go check it out."

Eden paled, the smile immediately dropping from her face. This wasn't the fun and games she expected at the lock-in. "You're not serious, are you?"

"Of course I'm serious! We just have to wait for the church to empty a bit."

"Hold on," Shawn said. "We are not going to try and break into a church. This is probably just Luke playing some kind of prank."

Kat clicked her tongue. "You guys are cowards. Where is your sense of adventure?"

"The Fellowship beats that out of you within the first few weeks," Eden said.

"Fine, if you guys aren't joining me, I'll go myself." She wrenched the door open and took off without another glance back.

Shawn turned to look at Eden in desperation. "We're not letting her go by herself, are we?"

Eden sighed. "Goddamnit."

* * *

"This is so ridiculous," Shawn muttered, looking over his shoulder. "I can't believe we're actually doing this."

"Just shut up and keep watch," Kat said, crouching in front of the basement door, bobby pins at the ready.

Eden stood nearby, arms crossed, trying to figure out what she was most concerned about. There was the fact they were trying to break into a church, the fact there might be a vampire hidden down there, or the fact that Eden was even entertaining the idea. Unconsciously, she began to fiddle with her necklace, a small cross on a chain, all silver. For protection, her mom had said when she gave it to Eden on her sixteenth birthday. She had kept it on ever since.

Even just the thought of being close to a vampire made her anxious. She didn't like vampires, plain and simple. No one in her family did. She didn't like to think about them, she didn't like to talk about them. They were unnatural, unholy.

She couldn't even understand why she was even here. Was there some part of her, deep down, that wanted to see one? Was she seriously intrigued? Morbidly fascinated?

No. No, she couldn't be.

"Aha!" Kat cheered as the basement door clicked open.

"I honest to God did not think the bobby pins thing actually worked," Eden said.

"Have a little faith," Kat replied, pushing the door open all the way and gesturing for them to follow.

The basement was cold, and even though it was full of storage boxes, of random pieces that didn't belong anywhere else, Eden thought it felt empty. She shivered, and she was certain it wasn't because of the cool air. They moved around the basement cautiously, careful not to disturb anything. How could they possibly keep a vampire down here? The cage in the room was flimsy, the door kept shut with a single lock. It was nothing a vampire couldn't handle.

Their steps echoed throughout the silent room and her heart raced, even though there was nothing there. What had she been expecting? Some kind of medieval torture chamber? A vampire screaming in pain as it was subdued with silver all across its body?

"This is fucking creepy," Kat muttered, eyeing a five foot tall statue of Mary.

"Jesus, do you get off on swearing in church?" Eden said, and Shawn snorted.

They made their way further into the basement, but there was no sign of any vampire. "See, there's nothing down here but a bunch of boxes and Jesus statues," Shawn said.

Why did she come down here? All day, every day, stories of how evil and unholy vampires were were drilled into Eden's head. How they lure you in, bleed you dry, spit you back out. They were murderers and monsters - they ruined her family. God, she could only imagine what her parents would say if they ever found out she went down here to _look_ for one of them.

"Hello?" Kat called. "Anyone here?"

Shawn shushed her, looking around nervously. "Are you trying to get us caught? Or eaten?"

"What are you more scared of, Shawn?" Kat laughed. "The vamper or the Fellowship?"

"There is no vampire down here," Eden cut in, the strength in her voice disguising the panic she felt. "Luke was just being a dick and you fell for it."

Kat threw her arms out wide, addressing the entire basement. "Come on out! We don't bite!"

"Very funny," Eden said dryly, "Can we go now?"

"Fine," Kat pouted. "But I'll be having words with Luke."

"I'm sure he can't wait."

The three of them moved to leave, but Eden couldn't help but pause on the bottom step, and take one last look in the basement. Just to be sure.

"Well, that was eventful," Shawn said once they were out of the basement. His face was pale, and his brown hair was matted to his forehead.

"Come on," Kat waved for them to follow, "I don't want to go back to the campfire."

"Why, are they hiding a unicorn in a storage closet?" Shawn said, as the three of them went into a nearby classroom.

"Even better," she answered, pulling a flask out from her sweatshirt pocket.

Eden rolled her eyes. She should be surprised, but after knowing Kat for as long as she did, this was considered tame. Kat took a huge swig, wiped her lips, and offered it to Eden.

"You're kidding, right?" Eden asked for the second time that night. Kat was just full of wonderful ideas.

"Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker'?" Kat waved the bottle in front of Eden's face.

"Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'underage?'"

Kat let out a laugh. "Don't be such a prude, Eden."

"I'm not a prude, I just don't find the idea of drinking - in a _church - _all that appealing."

"Pruuuuuuuude," Kat sang. "C'mon, think of it like sacramental wine."

Eden and Shawn shared a look. Maybe it would take the edge off of the earlier adventure into the basement.; Eden was certain she wouldn't get a proper night's sleep (not that she ever did at a lock-in), and anything to take her mind off of vampires was considered helpful.

Hesitantly, Eden reached for the flask and took a small sip. She swallowed it easily and held it out for Shawn to take. Kat's grin was nothing short of manic as she watched her friends drink. "And now," she announced dramatically, "in the spirit of the lock-in, we play."

"Play what?" Shawn coughed, handing Kat the flask. "Two truths and a lie? A few more drinks and I won't be able to remember my own name."

"A drinking game, of course." Kat grinned. "You two act so innocent, I need to see how depraved you really are. Never Have I Ever it is!"

"You're going to be so disappointed," Eden said as they arranged themselves in a circle on the floor, the flask placed in the middle of the trio.

Kat pursed her lips. "Probably. But maybe I'll be too drunk to care. Start," she said, nodding at Shawn.

"What? Why me? Oh, fine. Never have I ever fantasised… about a teacher?" He finished lamely, looking to Eden for help.

Eden just giggled as Kat reached for the flask and took a sip. "Ugh, lame. Alright, my turn…"

* * *

"Never have I ever…" Shawn slurred almost an hour later, leaning on a chair for support. "...had sexual relations with a guy."

Kat mumbled something that sounded like 'or a girl' under her breath as Eden reached for the flask.

"Really?" Kat said. "Not even with Blake whatshisface?"

Eden choked at the mention of her ex-boyfriend. "No. God, no. I mean, we fooled around and whatever, but never did the sex. Had sex." The alcohol had made its way to her head, and had no intention of leaving anytime soon. She was definitely a lightweight.

"You're missing out," Kat said. Even after all the times the game forced her to take a shot, she was still upright, the only signs she was even slightly drunk were the way her eyes were a little unfocused. "Although, too much and you might have to look..._elsewhere_ for someone to satisfy you."

"Elsewhere?" Eden raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I mean, we don't want you to wind up like your sister."

She froze. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Kat rolled her eyes. "You know exactly what it means. Took a risk with a fanger and look what happened to her."

"She-Grace wasn't _fucking_ a vampire," Eden said. She rose to her feet, her hands balled up into fists to try and stop them shaking. The room span when she stood, and Eden leaned against the table to steady herself. She wasn't sure if the alcohol was entirely to blame. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"God, Eden," Kat scrambled to her feet as well. "You don't have to keep pretending that your family is so perfect! Ooh, the Bennetts can't do anything wrong! They are the best and most perfect family ever."

"You're a bitch," Eden yelled, and she could feel her face heating up. "Why don't you just shut the fuck up once in a while?"

"Maybe if you weren't such a little doll," Kat mocked, "you could make me."

Eden slapped Kat across the face.

Kat's hand flew to her red cheek, seconds before her eyes narrowed and she shoved Eden back. Shawn tried to get between them, but Kat threw him to the side and kept coming for Eden. It was the first time she'd ever been in a catfight, Eden thought, a weird little thought that popped into her head as she tried to push Kat away from her.

With another rough shove, Eden lost her balance and fell. Her head smacked into the corner of the table with a sickening thud, and after a split second of pain, everything went black.


	4. Once Upon a Dream

**As I was writing this in my google doc, I paid no mind to the word count because I only realised recently that it had one. When I finally looked at it, I was very much considering splitting it into two chapters. But then I realised that would be unfair since I promised you'd be getting some Godric in this chapter. So, you owe me. **

**Just kidding. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

_I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream  
__I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam  
__And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem  
__But if I know you, I know what you'll do  
__You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream._

- Once Upon a Dream | Lana Del Ray

* * *

She was very aware of the sunlight streaming through the windows on her face, the way it warmed her skin and disturbed her sleep.

Eden stirred, expecting her body to be stiff and sore like it always was after hours lying in the pew; but there was no unpleasantness or discomfort, no pain shooting up her neck or back whenever she moved. In fact, last night's sleep was the best she's had in months.

It was weird.

She could barely sleep in her own bed, and lock-ins always proved worse. The hard pews were a nightmare, no matter how much she tossed and turned or fluffed up her pillow. Most of the time, Eden took to wasting the time playing on her phone, talking to Kat and Shawn or Noah, doing anything except sleeping. But Eden was shocked at just how good she felt; there was no early morning grogginess, no kinks in her neck, nothing. Everything seemed clearer, brighter. She was refreshed. She felt _great_.

Maybe the alcohol was to thank, she thought, though she wouldn't take to doing it every night she couldn't sleep. Becoming an alcoholic at sixteen wasn't high on Eden's aspirations list. Eden didn't know if she was expecting a hangover - frankly, she couldn't even remember how much she drank. She remembered the trip to the basement - although she shuddered when she thought of it - and hiding out in the classroom, Kat pulling out the flask...but after that, it was blank.

Pushing herself up in the pew, she glanced around. Barely anyone was awake, and, after a quick glance at the time, it was clear why. Eden would have only gotten a few hours of sleep at the most, yet she felt fully rested. Kat and Shawn were still fast asleep further along the pew, and she screwed her nose up as she caught a whiff of alcohol on their breaths. It was strong, and she could only hope no one else could smell it, or they would be in trouble.

Eden stretched her arms up above her head, and when she caught sight of her shirt, she frowned. Did she get changed last night and not remember? She could have sworn she went to bed wearing the white top, not blue. She pulled her bag up off the floor and dug through it, careful not to wake anyone around her. Her white shirt wasn't even in her bag, and her frown deepened. She was willing to bet something spilled on it, and it was just easier to get rid of it than to try and hide it. Yeah, that must have been it.

"You alright, Eden?" Shawn's voice was thick with sleep. He was staring up at her as he lay down in the pew, hair disheveled and glasses crooked.

She shook her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. What happened last night?"

"You don't remember?"

Eden told him what she did remember, and how everything was a blur after they started drinking. They spoke in hushed voices, hidden away in the back corner of the church, a place they claimed as their own four lock-ins ago. Shawn - whether it was from lack of sleep or something else - looked strange. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was pale.

"Are _you_ alright?" she asked. "You're looking at me weird."

"What? Yeah, I'm fine." He mustered up a grin, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Still a bit light headed after last night. I'm a lightweight."

"That makes two of us."

* * *

"Okay, gang," Sarah Newlin chirped, waving a blindfold in the air. "Time for Evade the Vamp!"

The younger Fellowship patrons were gathered in a group out in the field for games, led by none other than the Reverend's wife. She took a keen interest in the children of the church, hoping to foster their faith into something greater. Eden stood with Kat and Shawn in the bright morning sun, and resisted the urge to let out a groan.

"Who will be our first volunteer to play the vamp?" Sarah asked, only to be answered with silence. She nodded sympathetically. "I know, it's hard. We don't _want_ to, but it's just a part we play."

Eden - and most of the group - averted their eyes and began to shuffle their feet. It was partly because no one wanted to seem to eager to play a vampire, especially not in an environment like this. There were always games and scenarios that called for someone to be the vampire, and they almost always walked away from them with their bodies and egos bruised.

"Eden, why don't you come up here to start us off?"

Her head snapped up, eyes wide as Sarah gestured for her to step forward. "What? Why me?"

"Sometimes it's the person we least suspect," Sarah said simply, as Eden took several hesitant steps forward, taking the blindfold from her outstretched hand. "Not all vampires _look_ like monsters, but appearances can be deceiving. It's something we should all remember."

Eden shared a look with Kat and Shawn before covering her eyes.

"Alright, now we know vampires are hunters," Sarah continued, "they use more than just sight to hunt down their victims. We want to stay out of their reach for as long as possible - if you get caught, you're out, and will become a vampire for the next round. Last human standing will be our winner."

She had played this game before, she had been a vampire before, but something felt different this time. The blindfold was doing its job perfectly, yet Eden still had a good idea of where people were around her. As quietly as they tried to move, she could hear them scurry on the grass as clear as a bell. Sarah's whistle blew, and Eden had to stop herself from flinching. Everything seemed louder, clearer. What was happening?

She could pick out the whispers and the giggles easily. She could tell where they were going to be without seeing them. Billy Jones was closest, and Eden leapt forward and grabbed his arm. He groaned loudly, and Eden took three steps to the side, spun on her toe and hit Sierra Wilkinson. Eden was moving fast - she was never this good at this game, but her senses were working in overdrive.

There were only a few humans left, and the round was still going. Their breathing was rapid as they tried to run and avoid Eden the Vampire which made it easier for her. They weren't trying to be quiet - not that that would have helped - and Eden caught the last one as Sarah blew the whistle to end the round.

"Goddamit," Kat swore and Sarah chastised her.

Eden took her blindfold off, wiping the sweat from her brow. She was about to let out a triumphant laugh when she caught sight of Kat and Shawn, staring at her. It was the same look that Shawn gave her earlier that morning. She frowned, but Sarah cut across her before she could call them sore losers.

"I'm ashamed of you," Sarah said to the group. "All of you were caught? Have we been teaching you nothing here? This was just a game, but in real life, these vampires will not stop because I blow a whistle!"

Eden made her way over to Shawn and Kat after they were dismissed, and the two of them stopped their whispering immediately, attempting to look nonchalant. She half-expected them to start whistling.

"What's up?" Eden tried to sound casual as well, but she couldn't stop her eyes from narrowing suspiciously.

Kat smirked, knocking her shoulder into Eden's. "Nothin'. You're just one bloodthirsty vamp."

* * *

_She burst into the empty church, the sound of the doors crashing open cutting through the eery silence. There wasn't another soul around - she was alone._

_Eden wasn't sure what she was running to. Or was it running from? All she was sure of was the sense of peace and sanctuary she so craved from the church wasn't there. The moonlight filtered in through the high windows, illuminating the altar in front of her. She walked towards it, slowly. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up when Eden came to stop. She wasn't safe here. Should she pray for guidance? For help? That's why she came here. It's why her family brought her here. She was just a lost little lamb, she thought bitterly._

_Eden didn't know how long she stood there for. It could have been mere minutes or long hours. She was lost in her thoughts, and didn't hear him approach. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt him behind her, his hands ghosting up her arms, icy to the touch, leaving goosebumps in their wake. She shuddered and leaned into his touch. Something within her was telling her to fight it, that it was wrong but, oh, God, it felt so good._

_He pressed his lips to her neck, feather-light, once, twice, three times. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she moaned. His hands moved to her waist as he continued kissing her throat. Eden's stomach was in knots; no one had made her feel like this before. Blake had tried, sure, but this was something else entirely._

_She had to stop. Eden pushed his hands off and stepped away, but he reached for her arm and pulled her back to him easily, like she was nothing more than a doll. He whirled her around and crashed his lips onto hers. Just like his hands they were ice cold, and she shuddered once more. He kissed her hard, and she was almost ashamed at how good he was making her feel. _

_One hand remained on her face, keeping their lips pressed together, and the other trailed down her back, playing with the hem of her dress. Keep going, keep going, she thought, and moaned into his mouth. He let out a low, guttural sound in the back of his throat and the kiss deepened. She broke away too quickly, desperate for air. He didn't seem to be having the same trouble as she was, though._

_God, he was handsome. The moonlight shined on his pale skin, so white it was like marble. He was young, not too much older than herself, and looked down at her with lust and hunger in his eyes. His bright blue eyes that Eden could just lose herself in._

_His hand crept under her dress, his fingers dancing along her thighs. She sucked in a sharp breath, and he grinned at her. She stumbled, and they fell to the floor. Oh, she was sure he could have stopped them if he wanted to, but he seemed to enjoy this too much. He kissed her once more, and she greedily leaned up to taste him. His hand was still beneath her dress, moving dangerously close. She was throbbing, more aroused than she had ever been in her life, with any boy before._

_He pressed a trail of kisses along her jaw, down her neck, her chest, the curve of her breast. His free hand pushed the straps of her dress down, and Eden gasped again. The kisses stopped all of a sudden, and Eden frowned._

_She looked down at him, and he was gazing up at her. His fangs gleamed in the moonlight, and he smiled at her before plunging them into her throat._

* * *

Her eyes shot open.

It was still dark, and the church was full of sounds of people sleeping, snoring, stirring. She could still hear everything as if it were happening right next to her, but it was her hammering heart she was focusing on. It beat so hard, so fast she thought it might burst. Her chest was heaving as she tried to steady her breathing.

_What the fuck was that?_ was the only thing she was capable of thinking at that moment.

Eden lay perfectly still in the pew, not trusting herself to move. She tried so hard to ignore the...feelings, especially in parts of her body that she should not be thinking about in church. She flexed her fingers, and let out a shaky breath. Sex dreams were one thing, but one with a _vampire?_ This was not okay.

She shouldn't feel this way; even in a dream, a vampire touching her should make her feel sick. It was disgusting, unnatural. But oh, my God it felt so nice. She remembered the way his cold hands felt on her burning skin, the way he kissed her, hard, the way his fangs felt when he-

No! God, what was wrong with her?

She squirmed out of the pew, pulling her bag along with her. Eden wanted nothing more than to get out of there; sitting in the church surrounded by people who detested the very thought of vampires while trying to pretend the dream didn't happen was not an option. She could never look at the hall the same way again, not after that. The bathrooms were a short distance away, and Eden was all but running towards them. The cold night air was refreshing on her flushed skin, and she let out another sigh.

Eden locked herself in the girls' shower and stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess of blonde waves, and her cheeks were red. Despite that, however, her eyes were a little brighter, and her hair had a shine to it that it didn't usually have. Eden turned away in a huff and jumped into a cold shower.

She showered for a long time, trying to forget just how amazing the dream was, which, apparently, was proving very difficult. When she was dressed and presentable, the sun was up and there was a queue for the bathroom. Eden apologised to the girls when she left and hurried back to the church. It was crowded now, everyone was awake and preparing for the Sunday service. Eden had calmed down, but memories of the dream were still there, in the back of her mind, threatening to take over. She plastered a smile on her face as she waved to her mother, before moving to join Kat and Shawn.

They didn't stop talking when Eden walked up like they had yesterday, but there was a little tension in the air. Why were they acting so awkward around her? She couldn't help but think she had said something when she was drinking. Could it have really been that bad? Well, after what her subconscious pulled last night, maybe it wasn't so unexpected.

"Hey, Eden," Shawn said, still looking haggard. "Couldn't find you this morning. We were about to send out a search party."

"What?" Eden asked, trying to rid herself of thoughts of those piercing blue eyes. "Sorry, I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Oooh." Kat smirked, and Eden scoffed.

"No, not 'oooh'. It was only a dream." Instead of shutting Katerina up, it only made her grin widen.

"Oh my God, did you have a dirty dream?" She practically yelled.

Kat looked like Christmas came early - Eden stopped herself from saying that out loud; she couldn't handle Kat shooting back with 'Christmas isn't the only one'. She tried to hush Kat, and whispered, "would you keep it down? Or do you want the entire congregation to overhear?"

"A dirty dream in church," Kat continued, "guess you're not such a Little Miss Perfect, are you?"

Something in the way she said that struck Eden as familiar; Kat hadn't called her that before, had she? It was like an odd sense of déjà vu. Eden didn't have time to dwell, however, as Kat poked her in the ribs playfully and continued her interrogation.

"So, who was it with?"

"Are we really going to talk about this here?" Eden glanced around the crowded hall, praying that Kat would just keep her voice down.

"Looks that way. Spill it, Bennett."

Eden rolled her eyes.

"Was it the ex?"

"Tch, no."

"Was it me?"

"You wish."

"Was it Reverend Newlin?"

"Ew, no!" Eden sighed. The interrogation wouldn't end until she gave her what she wanted. Eden knew the truth was way too salacious, and, if she said it out loud, it meant she would have to come to terms with the fact that she had a sex dream about a vampire. Kat was still looking at her expectantly; even Shawn looked intrigued. They weren't the staunch and conservative church workers, but they would still judge her. After all, they all went to the same vampire-hating church, didn't they?

Eden shifted uncomfortably under their scrutiny. What harm could it do? It was just a dream, and even Eden wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it. After a quick look around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, lowered her voice to a whisper. "It was a vampire."

Their reaction was not at all what she was expecting. Instead of Shawn snorting and Kat making some crude comment, Eden was met with an awkward silence. Kat and Shawn shared another strange look, and it was all she could take.

"Guys?" she asked.

They looked back at her. Noticing the frown on Eden's face, Kat summoned a smile. "Well, look at you. Naughty times with a fanger, huh?"

She tried to sound normal, but it lacked her usual enthusiasm. Shawn, meanwhile, was looking anywhere but her.

"Okay, what the hell is going on with you two?" she blurted, taking no notice of the glares of other churchgoers. "You've been acting weird around me the whole weekend."

"Nothing!" Kat smiled again. "Just...you of all people having a dirty dream about a vampire is unexpected."

"No, no, something's wrong."

"Eden-"

"Stop lying to me!" she said as sternly as she could without alerting anyone nearby.

"I told you this would happen," Shawn muttered. What little colour that was left in his cheeks drained from his face. "I told you-"

"Shut up, Shawn," Kat hissed.

"Tell me what's going on," Eden repeated in a low voice. "Now."

Shawn looked around in a panic, before grabbing Eden's arm and pulling her through the crowd as they began to head into the church. Eden realised she was being taken to the same classroom they were in on Friday night. When they walked in, Eden was hit with the smell of bleach. It didn't smell like this before...but maybe she wouldn't have noticed if it did. What was happening to her?

Shawn gestured for Eden to take a seat, as he began pacing around. Kat had followed behind them, and kept her distance, staying by the locked door. Eden's frown deepened, looking between her friends.

"You have to promise not to get mad," Shawn started, and she noted the desperation in his voice.

"This is about Friday night, isn't it?" Eden asked. That much was obvious.

He nodded. "You-" Shawn paused, glancing over at a silent Kat. "We were drinking, and you couldn't… you hit your head. God, there was just all this blood, you weren't moving. We had to-we…"

"What?" Eden jumped on the end of his sentence. "What did you do to me?"

Shawn raked a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. "We gave you vampire blood."

She didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity of the statement, or to just start sobbing. Eden's breath caught in her throat, and a sick feeling began to stir in the pit of her stomach. Her hand immediately flew to the cross at her neck, but it did nothing to help assuage the rising panic. Every good feeling she had over the past few days was dashed away in an instant. If she thought she was confused before, this was on a whole other level. Eden couldn't believe it.

"That-that's...how?" The chair legs scraped on the floor as Eden jumped to her feet. Kat hadn't said a word the entire time they were there; she stood in the corner, arms folded tight across her chest, and a scowl on her face. Like Kat had a right to be angry.

"We didn't know what else to do," Shawn continued. "We panicked-"

"So you thought force-feeding me vampire blood was the best idea?" Eden was screaming now and she could feel her face heating up. "Why didn't you call 911, or find my mom? Jesus, where the fuck did you even get the blood from?"

"The basement," Shawn mumbled, at least having the decency to look ashamed.

Eden froze. "How?" she whispered.

"Because there was a vampire down there."

"_God_, I'm going to be sick." She wanted to cry, she wanted to run away, she wanted to wake up from this nightmare. She pulled at her hair, her knuckles white and strained. "Did you know?"

Shawn ran a hand over his jaw. "No. Not for sure. I mean, we thought-"

"So," her voice was shaking with barely contained rage, "even though you didn't know for certain, you still took me to the basement? What if there was nothing down there?"

"But there was," Kat spoke up for the first time, "and now you're fine, so let's drop it."

_Drop it?_ It was that simple, was it? Just get over the fact she was _violated_ by people she considered friends? By a monster? A monster that really was being hidden beneath the church. One whose blood was now inside of her, doing God knows what. Eden's mind raced, a thousand thoughts running through her mind and she couldn't focus on a single one. Shawn and Kat were staring at her, like she was some frightened animal ready to attack, and frankly, she might just do that.

Eden turned on her heel and stormed from the room. She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing, or if it could be blamed on the head injury, or the vampire blood. All she knew was she was angry - _furious_ - and may God forgive her for whatever happens.

"Eden," Shawn said, scurrying behind her, "wait, just calm down, let's talk about this."

The hymn was still going strong when Eden made it to the basement door. She wrenched the handle as hard as she could, once, twice, pulling the lock free after a final tug. Shawn pleaded with her, begging her to think about what she was doing. How could they do that to her? She thought they were her friends?

She stormed down the stairs into the basement; it had been only two days since she was in here last, but it felt completely different. She was still scared, terrified even, but it was almost overshadowed by the anger she felt.

"Where are you?" Eden yelled, her voice echoing around the empty room. "Where are you? Where is that goddamn vampire?"

"Come on, Eden, let's just go upstairs-"

"No, Shawn. I need to see the monster that did this to me. I need to look him in the eye."

"They could catch us down here."

"If you're so worried, then you can leave. As a matter of fact, I don't even want you here." She turned to glare at the both of them, hovering on the bottom step. "Get out of here!"

Kat and Shawn left; she hurried back up the stairs, while Shawn hesitated. For a few short moments, he looked at Eden sadly, before following Kat.

Eden clenched her fists in the skirts of her dress as she wandered further into the basement. The only sound breaking through the silence was her heavy breathing. It was only ten in the morning, it was probably still sleeping. She kicked the bars of the cage and let out a grunt.

"I know you're here," she said, but she didn't exactly know why she was here. "I want to know what you fucking did to me!" An annoying voice in the back of her head reminded her that her friends did this to her as well, but Eden ignored it. She wanted to start crying, to just fall down and sob, but she couldn't. Tears wouldn't flow, and she just felt empty. What was she supposed to do? A vampire was a part of her now. Why, why did it have to be her? And why couldn't she forget about how _fucking good_ it made her feel?

There was the sound of sudden movement, and she whirled. He was there, the boy from her dreams, staring out at her from the bars of the cage.

Eden screamed.

* * *

**I'm sorry. I had to. I'm evil.**

**A dream sequence counts, right?**

**Right?**


	5. Among Us

**Does anyone else get bothered by the fact that in most fics Godric doesn't use contractions when he speaks? He does in the show, if I recall correctly, and like, he's 2000 years old. I'm pretty sure he's grasped the concept of basic contractions.**

**Anyway. Thanks for the reviews and favourites! They do brighten my day. And now you finally have The Confrontation. And I hope this story isn't progressing too slowly for people in terms of the relationship/romance. I get kind of frustrated when there are fics where they just fall in love straight away. I wanted to explore maybe a darker side to it, and have a bit of a slow burn. Or something. Enjoy :)**

* * *

_Save me from his menace  
__He peeled off every vein I had  
__'till there was nothing left  
__But a bloodless heart  
__Still beating for him  
__(He plays with fire)_

- Among Us | Susanne Sundfør

* * *

It was him. It was the boy she dreamed about.

Eden stumbled backwards, tripping over her own feet. There was no pain when she hit the floor, but all that did was remind her of the vampire blood coursing through her. She never once took her eyes off of him as she scrambled backwards.

"You-it's you…" Eden breathed out.

She wanted so badly to ignore the longing she felt at that moment, the need to rush into his arms and relive the dream. Every inch of her body was on fire, and she was just _looking_ at him. Images of the dream came flooding back, and the boy standing in front of her was exactly how she remembered.

It felt like she was staring at him for hours, but only mere seconds had passed. He was frowning down at her, confusion and strain etched on his handsome face. "What are you doing?" he asked. "You shouldn't be down here."

Words caught in her throat and her mouth ran dry. No, she definitely shouldn't be down here, and she had no idea why she was. It was like Eden wasn't in control of her own body when she stormed down here; there was just something within her, telling her that she needed to go and see him, drawing her to him. And Eden had listened to it. It beat out all common sense, everything she had been taught by her parents and by the church. At first, she thought it was just her anger that was fueling her, but it had to be more than that, didn't it?

"It _is_ more than that," he said, answering the unspoken question. The vampire crouched down to Eden's level, staring. "It's my blood that's doing this to you."

Eden hit a crate and she couldn't scramble back any further. "Is that supposed to be comforting?" She bit out in a shaky voice.

"No, I suppose nothing I say will bring you any comfort." He shook his head, looking despondent, and stretched back to a standing position.

Eden was still frozen on the floor, watching him with wide eyes. There was a languid grace in the way he moved, and she couldn't help but stare. It was the blood, she had to keep reminding herself, it was _his blood _that was doing this.

"Why?" she whispered, before tapping into the fire in her belly that had been brewing all morning. Eden's voice rose as she did. "Why did you do this to me? You know where we are, and you still _fed me your blood._" Eden spat out those words as if they left a bad taste in her mouth.

"To save your life," he said simply.

"Is this what you do?" Eden went on, barely even registering his words. "You feed people your blood and then you can control them, or kill them, or-or whatever you do?"

"Perhaps you should ask your friends why they did this, if they knew how strongly you felt."

Eden clenched her jaw. He was right, of course; Kat and Shawn were as much to blame as the vampire in front of her. Not that she would ever admit that in front of him. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, as if he knew what she was thinking - and he probably did. Before Eden could argue any further (common sense be damned), the vampire continued.

"Would you rather I had not saved you?" he asked. "Would you rather I let you die?"

_No._ "Yes."

He chuckled, and Eden fumed. "It doesn't matter! It wasn't your decision to make! But I guess I should have expected this from a godless monster."

Eden was unaware that she was moving forward as she spoke, just as he stepped backwards, away from her. It must be the blood, she thought, but God, he was handsome. His bright blue eyes were almost hypnotic, and Eden tried to suppress a shudder.

He was staring at her from the cage with an expression she couldn't comprehend. Eden told herself she needed to look away, to break eye contact before he started messing with her mind. Reverend Newlin told them all about these powers, the way vampires could get you to believe anything they wanted, to have you obey them no matter what. But, at that moment, she wanted nothing less than to look away.

"What's happening to me?" she asked. "What's it doing to me?"

"For a while, your senses will be heightened," he said evenly. She must look so pitiful to him. "You will be able to see and hear better. Your…libido will be increased,"- Eden felt her face heat up at that - "and I will be able to sense your emotions, and know where you are."

It sounded so reasonable when he said it. Hell, he could probably convince her to run away with him forever. It's what made them - him - so dangerous.

"That's why I've been feeling like this?" she whispered. God, no wonder people got hooked on the stuff; Eden could practically live on those feelings alone. Unconsciously, her eyes flickered down to his lips. The same lips she couldn't get enough of in that dream, lips that were all over her, her jaw, her neck, her chest-

Eden shook her head to clear those thoughts away, unsure of whether or not she was thankful for the bars between them.

She took a step back and frowned. "Why are you in a cage?" It was the first time Eden had stopped to consider it. "Why are you just sitting in there?"

"I came here of my own free will." If he was surprised by her sudden change in tone, he didn't show it.

"Why?"

"To prove that we are not all godless monsters."

The way he threw her words back in her face made Eden flinch. "Prove to who, us? Or yourself?"

Before he could respond, a sound from the top of the stairs made them both freeze. The vampire let out a low growl, and Eden's heart skipped a beat before kicking into overdrive. The vampire must have sensed her panic, and pointed over to a corner, quickly hissing at her, "hide!"

In a whoosh, he disappeared back into the cage, leaving Eden standing there staring at nothing. There were heavy footsteps on the basement stairs, and she scurried over to the corner. She climbed over storage boxes and crouched down, rearranging them so they obscured her from whoever was coming. It couldn't be Kat or Shawn; she wouldn't have to hide if it was. With the way the vampire reacted, it was clear it meant trouble for her. Eden's entire body was trembling and she wrapped her arms around her legs.

Someone thudded into the basement, and she held her breath. Their shoes scuffed on the floor, every sound echoing around the room. Eden shrank back, trying to make herself as small as possible.

"Who the hell is down here?" It was Gabe, and Eden cringed. She never liked him; he was nothing more than a brute who liked to leer at the young girls in the church. But he was close with Reverend Newlin so he could get away with almost anything.

After a few moments, he let out a huff. Gabe never came too close to her, huddled up in the corner. It was only a matter of time till someone realised she had broken the lock on the door, but Eden had hoped it would be when she was safely out of there. She jumped when he kicked the bars of the cage.

"You still there, fanger? You didn't try to run out on us, now did'ya? Did you break the lock?"

He spoke in such a mocking tone that Eden was disgusted, then confused. Wasn't she, only a few minutes ago, yelling at that same vampire? This whole thing was not good for her sanity.

Eden risked a peek around the crate. There was Gabe, peering into the cage with a hard look on his face. She couldn't see the vampire, but she could only assume he was still in there. Gabe kicked the bars once more, like he was taunting him, daring him to come out. But there was no movement.

"Thought so," Gabe muttered. "Too fuckin' _honorable_ to break your word. We'll see where that gets you."

With another bang on the cage, Gabe turned and left, dialing someone on his phone. As he stomped up the stairs, Eden caught a part of his conversation. "...no, the fucker's asleep in his pen...I'll fix it, don't worry, Reverend…"

After a few moments of silence, Eden heard the vampire say, "He's gone; you can come out now."

She crawled out, wiping her hands on her dress. "I need to go," she murmured shakily, "The service is probably ending soon...people will start looking for me."

Eden tried to avoid eye contact with the vampire as she hurried over to the stairs, but she paused, her foot on the bottom step, turning back to look at him. His expression was unreadable, yet Eden still felt a tug of longing from somewhere inside of her.

"What's your name?" she found herself asking.

"Godric," was all he said, before Eden turned and ran back up the stairs.

* * *

When she was safely back upstairs, Godric let out an unnecessary breath of relief.

Being in such close proximity to Eden and her blood was something akin to torture; it served to remind him that maybe he wasn't as strong as he believed. He had underestimated just how long he could last without feeding.

The girl was just a bundle of emotions and, thanks to the added effects of his blood, they were running high. She was confused, unable to focus, unaware of how deep her feelings ran. He, however, could feel it all; the way she was clinging to her anger and her frustration, despite not entirely believing in it. She was a product of the church, designed to hate, but it was superficial.

It was strange, and oddly satisfying to know Eden was almost ready to give in to her own temptations just as he was. He wanted to taste her, his desire for her more than a threat to his sanity. She, as well, was torn between her anger and her attraction for him. It was a dangerous combination for the both of them. Throughout their exchange he had to hold on to every ounce of self-control he possessed. He had debated not showing himself, but he wanted to give the girl peace of mind. Maybe he could convince her of what he had tried to convince the Reverend. When she had asked him who he was proving it to, he was thankful for the interruption. Godric did not have an answer for her. He wanted to believe he was doing this to benefit human-vampire relations, but there was some part of him that was doing it for his own absolution.

Godric let out a groan, and leaned his head against the wall he was resting on. He told himself it wasn't a mistake to save her life, one last good thing before the true death at the hands of the church. But he wasn't sure that's what he did; he might have made things worse. He tried to shut out the flood of emotions coursing through Eden, knowing that it wouldn't last much longer.

He shut his eyes and fell into an instant, dreamless sleep.

* * *

Like most nights, Eden couldn't sleep. Only this time it was for entirely different reasons.

There was some part of her that wanted to sleep, a part of her that wanted to experience another dream like that again. She shivered whenever she recalled it, but with anticipation, not fear. But what was that turning her into? These were the creatures that hurt Grace, and countless other people. It was so ingrained in her not to trust them. Was Eden going to end up like her sister? Was this the first step a vampire took?

But Godric…

He saved her life, a fact she couldn't ignore if she tried. How easy it would have been for him to just burst through the cage and devour her. But he didn't. The more she thought about it, the more Eden realised she didn't feel threatened when she was around him; she felt...safe. It wasn't right. Godric saved her life, but at what cost? Her sanity? Did he have some creepy vampire claim to Eden now? The worst part was knowing that he could feel it too. Knowing she was angry or scared was easy enough to deal with, but knowing that she was turned on - by _him?_

That was unbearable.

* * *

"Bad day?"

Eden started, broken out of her reverie. Whatever Mr Evans was telling her about the Civil War had gone in one ear and out the other, Eden taking to staring blankly out the classroom window. She looked to the seat beside her to see April Macmillan, nodding towards Eden's desk. The pile of torn paper that was once Eden's history notes was growing, and she was completely unaware that she was even doing it.

April Macmillan was one of Eden's closest friends, and had been since April and her family moved to Dallas. Like with Kat, Eden was asked to show April around the school and they got on extremely well. Until the subject of vampires was brought up. April was much more liberal with her views on vampires, and, as sorry as she was about Grace, didn't think they should be persecuted like the Fellowship was prone to doing. Eden preferred if they just didn't touch on that subject around each other.

"Bad week." Eden let the paper fall from her hands.

"Hmm, well, I can't help you with that."

"With what?" There was no way she could know what Eden was going through. Eden promised herself she wouldn't talk to anyone about it; it wasn't worth the interrogations, the judgements, anything.

April reached over, scooping up a handful of paper and letting it float back to the desk like confetti. "You know what they say about tearing up paper, right?"

"No," she sighed. "What do they say? Have I finally lost it?"

April grinned and shook her head, her shoulder length red hair whipping around. "Nope - I'm pretty sure you lost it a long time ago. That, my lovely Eden, is a sign of sexual frustration."

"I am _not_ sexually frustrated," Eden scoffed, hoping no one else in the classroom could overhear. Say it again, she thought, maybe you'll believe it next time.

April didn't believe it either. She was perfectly comfortable before the lock-in, the only reason for these...feelings was the damn vampire blood. From the vampire she couldn't stop thinking about. Eden really needed to work these feelings out, one way or another, and she was almost ready to run back into that church basement.

Damn, she _was_ frustrated.

Eden huffed and rubbed her hands over her face. "This is so fucked up."

"Did…" April hesitated, squirming in her chair. "Did something happen at that church?"

A silence passed between them. What was Eden supposed to say? She wasn't at the place where she could handle any possible reaction, good or bad. A half truth wouldn't hurt, Eden decided. She hoped.

"I've been having dreams," she whispered to April, who had pulled her chair over to Eden's desk under the pretence of group work that Mr Evans had assigned the class. "About someone I am not supposed to be having dreams about."

"Blake?"

"Why does everyone keep thinking that? Blake and I are over."

April snorted. "Not with the way he's been staring at you all day."

"I-what?" With all the subtlety of Liberace, she whirled in her seat and caught a glimpse of her ex-boyfriend looking her way before diverting his gaze instantly. Eden frowned and faced forward again. "We've been broken up for months, why is he looking at me now?"

"Same reason most people are." April shrugged.

"I'm sorry?"

"You look…" she waved her hand over Eden's body vaguely, "different."

"Different."

"I don't know, like you just got back from a long vacation. You look refreshed, bright, hot."

"Nice, thanks."

"You know what I mean."

Unfortunately, Eden did know. People had been complimenting her incessantly, from her parents to random students at school, telling her she looks great, how her hair is shining, her eyes are bright and vibrant, and just how full of life she looks. If they only knew how ironic that was.

"Anyway," April continued, "if it's not him, who is it?"

Eden pursed her lips. "It's not important." _Yes it is,_ said that annoying voice in her head. "It's just someone that it can never, ever happen with. In real life."

April frowned, but thankfully didn't push the point. "Have you tried…you know…"

"I don't want to do _that_ and think about him more than I have to."

"Well then, just find some willing victim and fool around a little bit. Get your mind off of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Shit, Blake's just about ready to pop."

Could she do that? It would definitely get her mind off of _him, _no doubt about it. But she wasn't the type of girl just to mess around with a boy for no reason. She wasn't a prude by any means, but leading Blake on? Maybe he wasn't even expecting them to rekindle the relationship. Maybe, like Eden, he was just looking for fun or for a distraction.

At that point, she was desperate; this really was the lesser of two evils.

* * *

She all but yanked him into the janitor's closet after history class, her lips crashing on his before the door even shut. Blake fumbled blindly for the lock with one hand, the other wrapped around Eden's waist. The lock clicked in place, and Eden pushed him hard against the door. Now both of his hands were free to roam over Eden's body.

"You look so good," Blake murmured against her lips with a grin. His wet tongue slipped into her mouth, as one of his hands moved to the hem of her skirt, brushing her thigh while the other tightened around her waist.

His hands were too warm.

Eden broke away, gasping for air. That thought had pushed its way to the front of her mind, and now it was all she could focus on. She had been waiting for the cool touch of his skin, the goosebumps that followed in its wake. Her skin was burning and she yearned for the icy hands of -

"Eden?" Blake asked. "You alright?"

Blake was gorgeous, with his chestnut hair and deep brown eyes. He was a top athlete in school, and kept his body in perfect shape. He was a catch, there was no doubt about it. But he wasn't who Eden wanted.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She offered him a quick smile before reaching up and kissing him once more.

She didn't hesitate to deepen the kiss this time, stretching up on her tiptoes and clinging to his shoulders. Blake moaned into her mouth, his hand pushing up her shirt and running along her bare skin. He broke away from her lips, pressing a trail of kisses along her jaw. Eden's heart rate quickened, but it wasn't because of Blake. She couldn't stop thinking about him. About Godric. She couldn't focus on anything except how much she wanted it to be his hands on her body, his lips on hers. She wanted him so much, only him.

"I can't," Eden breathed, pushing at Blake's chest. "Blake, stop."

"It's okay," he said between kisses, "no one will find us."

"Blake, I said stop!" She pushed hard, and Blake's back slammed against the door with a loud bang.

His kisses were all wrong. They were sloppy, totally unlike the ones from her dream. They didn't make her feel anything; there was no tingle down her spine, no amazing sensations. Whenever she kissed Blake, images of Godric would flash through her mind, and Eden desperately wished it was his icy hands on her hot skin, his full lips on hers.

Blake laughed humorlessly and shook his head. "See, Eden? This is why I broke up with you."

"You broke up with me because I wouldn't sleep with you?" she snapped.

"No," Blake said slowly, as if he was talking to a child, "because you didn't know what you wanted. You still don't!"

Eden clenched her jaw. "So, what? I'm not ready to have sex-"

"It's not about sex. It's about you. You're so worried about your parents or that fucking church that you don't… do anything anymore. Anytime you're about to let loose, you freak out and shut down. I'm sorry about Grace, really, but that doesn't mean you stop living your life."

She stood there in silence after Blake finished his lecture, staring at the ground. Eden didn't want to think about him being right, how she does shut down whenever she thinks about the church. She used to go out, have fun with her friends, have a life that didn't revolve around Steve Newlin. But was that how easy it was? Was the world suddenly going to return to how it was before Grace's disappearance? Was Blake's rant supposed to just snap Eden out of it, a magic cure for everything that has happened?

Slowly, she raised her head and sent him a glare. When she spoke, her voice was low and dangerous. "You don't know a damn thing about what I've gone through."

Eden pushed passed Blake and out into the empty hallway, attempting to fix her dishevelled hair and adjusting her shirt that had ridden up. Thankfully, Blake didn't follow her; right now she needed to be alone. She didn't want to be - there was only one person she wanted to be with - but she _needed_ to be alone.

God help her.


	6. Clarity

**hey guys! sorry about the long wait. it wasn't writer's block, just a lack of enthusiasm. work has been boring and draining and I just didn't have the energy to write. but here we are! two episodes away from the end of the series *tear*. at least eric is cured and will hopefully survive so he and pam can fly off away from the bullshit.**

**that'll never happen. if any show can screw me over in two episodes, it's true blood.**

**thanks for the reviews and favourites, and enjoy :)**

* * *

_Fight fear for the selfish pain, it was worth it every time  
__Hold still right before we crash 'cause we both know how this ends  
__A clock ticks 'til it breaks your glass and I drown in you again_

_'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need  
__Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why._

- Clarity | Zedd ft. Foxes

* * *

He hadn't sensed her nearby for weeks.

Eden was taking care to stay away from the church, away from him.

Godric could feel the spikes in her emotions - the confusion, the attraction, the desperation. It had been a long time since he fed a human his blood, and he nearly forgot the bond worked both ways.

If he had a God, he would pray to it. What was this girl doing to him? He was prepared for what the Fellowship was planning, he accepted his fate. But now, now he wanted nothing more than to rip his way out of the cage and...and what?

It would be so easy for him to escape - what chance would mere humans have against a millennia-old vampire? But what then? Eden was trying to convince herself she didn't want him, and she couldn't keep lying for much longer. It was going against everything he was trying to prove to the humans, but Eden's blood called to him, begging for him to break his resolve. He wasn't so sure how long he could restrain himself.

It was happening soon, the Reverend had taunted with his manic grin, and he was ready for it; maybe then he will be put out of his misery. If anything, he would no longer be plagued by thoughts of her. Godric could only hope Eden stayed away. She didn't need to see it. He didn't want her to see it. He didn't know what either of them would do and it'd be easier if they wouldn't find out.

The door to the basement opened, and Godric could hear the sounds of struggle. A young human couple - no, he corrected himself; the young lady's blood sang, telling him the girl wasn't entirely human - were being dragged down there at the orders of Reverend Newlin.

He sat as still as stone within the depths of the cage. Gabe locked them in with him, laughing, jeering, telling them with no small amount of malice that there was a vampire in there with them, that they were about to become a meal for a monster.

Godric was starting to believe he was right.

* * *

Eden had been avoiding the church for weeks.

Her excuses for staying home on the weekends hadn't been anything remotely genius; schoolwork, cramps, friend's birthdays. Her mother had taken pity on her and let her stay. Her father, on the other hand, took a little more convincing, but he buckled when Eden promised to say her prayers.

How much longer could she keep this up? Either her guilt would be the thing that forces her to go, or her parents would find out she was lying. Frankly, Eden was impressed that they haven't realised April has had three birthdays in the past seven months that all happened to fall on a Sunday.

She knew she wouldn't be able to avoid the church forever. She was becoming a hermit, only leaving her bedroom for school and for meals. Shutting herself away hadn't helped as much as she'd hoped; it just meant she had more time to think about Godric.

Eden let out a groan as she lay on her bed on Thursday night, rubbing her hands over her face. What a mess. Dragging herself up and out of her room, she trudged down the stairs, hoping to go for a walk outside to clear her clouded head.

As she made her way down the stairs, she caught voices coming from the study. It made her stop, all thoughts of a nice evening walk banished from her mind.

"...a couple of guys are building the platform. They say it's gonna happen this Sunday," Noah was saying.

She heard her father clap his hands together. "That's good to hear. Better we get it over with sooner rather than later."

"What's happening on Sunday?" Eden crept into the study where her family was gathered. Their heads whipped around when she spoke up, showing her just how unwelcome she was in this family meeting.

"Hey," Noah said, the first to break the awkward silence. "Long time, no see."

At any other time, she would have been so happy to see her brother; she probably would have jumped into his arms, laughing as he swung her around. Eden looked between the three of them - Noah leaning against the desk and rubbing the back of his neck, Mary staring out the window, and Samuel in the middle of the room, arms crossed over his chest.

"What's going on?" Eden asked.

"Nothin', Eds," Noah replied with a forced smile.

"Stop lying to me," she said. Ever since the incident at the church, she'd been doing her best to keep her temper in check, but now that her family was lying to her? It was all Eden could take. "Tell me what's going on."

"Eden, please, go upstairs," her mother said faintly. Her voice was strained, and she looked tired.

"No, Mary." Her father uncrossed his arms and regarded Eden. "I want her there," he said cryptically, "when it happens."

"Dad-"

"Samuel-"

"Enough!" Samuel boomed, cutting both Noah's and Mary's pleas off immediately. Eden's heart thumped, a cool panic stirring inside of her. "She's old enough now. She can handle it. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

"Handle what?" she asked, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Her father let out a small laugh. "You don't want to ruin the surprise, do you?"

She shook her head. "No. I want to go," Eden said firmly, "I want to be there." She didn't know exactly what she wanted to be there for, only that going back to the church could help her sort through this tangle of emotion. Maybe what she really needed was to be reminded of her faith and her convictions. She tried to ignore the way her heart thumped and pushed the fear down.

* * *

They were off to the church as soon as Eden finished school that Friday afternoon.

Instead of walking home like she usually did, her parents picked her up, her overnight bag already packed in the backseat. "Get in," her father ordered, and with one sad look over her shoulder at April, she crawled into the car.

Samuel wasted no time, and if Eden didn't know any better, she'd say her father was _excited_. He had what could only be his version of a smile on his face for the whole drive which only served to unsettle Eden even more. In no time at all, she already regretted her decision to go back to the Fellowship.

It was too soon. Too soon to be near him again. Her stomach flipped at the thought of being close to the vampire again; whether it was in anticipation or fear, though, Eden still hadn't figured out.

For the entire drive to the church, the car was silent. Eden's mother stared out the window for the entire time, and her father didn't even bother to attempt conversation. Eden sighed internally, shutting her eyes and leaning her head back against the car seat. She hated the silence; silence meant she was alone with her thoughts, focusing on certain things she was trying to forget.

Sarah Newlin was not waiting with her husband on the steps of the church when the Bennetts approached. Reverend Newlin was, however, and he was practically glowing as he greeted the Fellowship, sharing a smile and a nod with Eden's father.

"It's going to be a glorious weekend," he said, his voice bright despite the crazy look in his eye.

"It will." Samuel shook his hand before the Reverend pulled him in for a hug. Eden dodged him, trailing behind her mother who had still not said a word.

Kat and Shawn were sitting in their usual spot in the back of the pews, and they stopped talking as soon as Eden walked past. She kept her head forward, not bothering to acknowledge the either of them, not even when Shawn called out to her, or when Kat muttered 'forget her.' It was best to ignore them, Eden decided, especially when she felt the anger rising up inside of her. She didn't want to create a scene and make everything worse; having one of them blurt out about their little trip to the basement in the middle of a crowded vampire-hating church wasn't an ideal situation.

In typical Bennett fashion, Eden shoved her anger down, ignoring it like she did the other bundle of emotion that was pent up inside. She followed her mother, sidling into a pew and dumping her bag down. Unable to help herself, Eden whipped her head back around to the entranceway; was he still there? Did he know she was here? Of course he knew, Eden thought. He knew where she was, what she was feeling, better than she herself did.

It scared her. But she'd come to realise it also excited her.

She bit back a sigh and stood, muttering to her mother, "I have to go to the bathroom."

Mary nodded, barely even sparing Eden a glance as she left the pew, and walked back up the aisle and out the door. Shawn tried to grab her attention, but once again, Eden ignored him. She let out a shaky breath as she pushed her way against crowd into the near empty foyer. Before she turned to leave for the bathrooms, Eden paused. Unconsciously - at least, she'd like to think it was - her eyes flicked to the basement door.

Her heart fluttered at the mere thought of seeing Godric again in the flesh. Her nights had been restless, and when she did sleep, she dreamed of him. She dreamed of him and his torturous kisses, his lips and his hands roaming her body, his fangs grazing her skin. Eden would shiver in excitement, anticipation, in fear, but always woke before his fangs would plunge into her. She woke in a cold sweat, her heart racing, and her hand in her panties.

Eden caught herself before she started towards it. What was she doing? She couldn't go down there. Not now. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, forcing herself down the hall to the bathrooms, unable to stop the thoughts running through her mind. Maybe, when everyone was asleep, she could sneak down there, to see him, and -

And do what?

God, what was wrong with her? As she locked herself in the ladies' room, she shook her head at herself. How long would the vampire blood be in her system, twisting her thoughts like this? Eden didn't know how much longer she could handle it - if she even _was_ handling it.

She caught sight of herself in the bathroom mirror and pursed her lips. Even after three weeks, she could still see traces of the effects of Godric's blood. Despite the restless nights, there were no purple bags under her eyes, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were still bright. Eden ran her hands through her hair and blew out a huge breath. What a mess.

All of a sudden, an alarm sounded through the compound. At first, Eden was thankful for the interruption before it a bolt of fear coursed through her. The church ran through evacuation procedures every so often, but Reverend Newlin always insisted it was just a precaution, that nothing would ever happen to them here. For a short moment, Eden debated whether or not she should stay locked in, huddled in the stall and staying quiet. No, she decided; she was stronger than this.

She left the bathroom, and hurried back to the entrance to the church. Everyone that was ready for the lock-in had left the hall for the classrooms where they would hide out til whatever was happening was over. Night had fallen, and she was hesitant to cross out by herself. A brief thought of running to the basement flashed through her mind, but she shoved that out as quickly as it came in.

"Eden!"

Her father was stalking over to her, looking fierce."Dad? Wha…" she trailed off, the question dying on her lips as she took in the weapons in her father's hands.

"What are you still doing here?" he asked, ignoring her confused frown. "Didn't you hear the alarm?"

"I was in the bathroom," she said quickly. "What's going on?"

Her father shook his head. "I need to get you to safety. Come with me."

"Stop treating me like a child!" Eden snapped. Her stomach flipped; she had never spoken to her parents like this. "Tell me what's happening, I can handle it!"

Samuel narrowed his eyes as she echoed his words from earlier, and despite the panic around her, it was like time stopped. "You want to stop being treated like a child? Fine by me."

He grabbed her roughly by the arm, pulling her along with him. Eden stumbled over her own feet in effort to keep up with her father. His grip tightened and if it wasn't for Godric's blood in her veins, she would be in pain.

Isn't this what she wanted? She's not a child anymore.

But when they met up with other members of the Fellowship outside - Noah and even Shawn among them - and her father shoved a stake in her hands, she felt like the smallest, weakest child in the world.


End file.
